Prior to and after becoming a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) I worked in several community mental health settings. Thereafter I stepped into other roles and pursuits. I have recently decided to come back to doing what I am most passionate about professionally, that of helping clients heal and grow in their relationships. My focus is interpersonal relationships with individuals, couples and families to help them achieve more satisfying relationships. I work from a family-centered and relational perspective, helping clients with how their families and relationships affect and impact on them and their mental health.
Before my years working professionally in mental health settings, I worked in the field of aging in Long Term Care and low income elderly housing. I am a Licensed Nursing Home Administrator (NHA) and hold a certificate as an Assisted Living Administrator (RCFE). Thereby I have background of working with the aging population and familiarity with the dynamics of families and relationships during that stage of life. Additionally I have a special understanding, sensitivity and experience with caregiving and chronic illness and the associated unique and complex dynamics within relational life.
Challenges in life can offer us opportunities to grow into ways of relating as we become more aware of how we want to respond and what we want to create, making use of the opportunities that adversity brings us. Our birthright includes the power to choose and our capacity to learn and grow is tremendous. Growth and healing are well anchored in our absolute commitment to the truth of reality. From there we can curate our strengths and build upon our insights and skills to intentionally build increasingly gratifying relational lives. Reality is that circumstances can be extremely challenging and finding and practicing our strengths in the midst of it all can develop positive resilience.
I am described as empathic, genuine, realistic and a lifelong learner. I am not a “nodding” therapist; I do not just nod in blank agreement without giving my clients feedback. I utilize a palette of strategies and tools in a collaborative manner with my clients to work to build upon their existing strengths within the reality of their relationships. I do not believe in false positivity or easy answers but I am known to be a realistic curator of silver linings with those who are dedicated toward growth while in the midst of circumstances often camouflaged by adversity.
I am currently providing telehealth appointments for California residents who are in the state.